The First Three Years
by cheerbabeexoxo
Summary: A lot can happen in three years. A chronicle of the lives and love of Miroku and Sango during the three years that Kagome spent in the world beyond the well. Pairing: MirSan
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I claim no ownership of any of the characters (save for a few minor characters of my own creation) or locations in this story. The principal characters, locations, et al. of this story are created and owned by Rumiko Takahashi.

**Title: **The First Three Years

**Rating:** Teen

**Warning:** Implied sexuality, suggestive themes

**Summary:** A lot can happen in three years. A chronicle of the lives of Miroku and Sango in the three years Kagome spent in the world beyond the well.

_The sun beat down on Sango's arms, burning her fair skin as she removed the damp clothes and linens from her wicker basket. The early summer heat was fatiguing, the air heavy and humid, causing her kosode to uncomfortably cling to her body._

"_Sango-chan! I'm glad I found you!" _

_Startled, the brunette looked up from the laundry she was hanging to dry and turned to face the raven-haired woman racing toward her. As she hung the final white bed sheet on the line, she wiped her brow and looked at her friend._

"_Where are the twins?" Kagome offered her a weak smile as she surveyed the area for the two mischievous toddlers._

"_Rin took them off my hands for a couple of hours," Sango answered as she bent down to pick up her basket, taking care not to wake the sleeping infant strapped to her back. "Why? What's up?" she asked, folding her arms across her chest. _

_Clearly something was bothering the usually cheerful Kagome, who had been back all of six days before Inuyasha had gone off with Miroku to perform another exorcism._

"_Do you ever get lonely…you know, when the guys are away?" The words were rushed, and Kagome quickly looked away, as if embarrassed._

"_I do, but after a while, I've gotten used to it," Sango said matter-of-factly as she headed towards her house. Kagome followed closely behind. "Besides, I don't exactly have time to be lonely anymore," she added as she stepped through the doorway._

"_Mommy!" The two tiny little girls looked up from their toys on the floor and toddled over to their mother, clinging to the skirt of her kosode. _

_Sango knelt down to their level. "Were you two good for Rin?" she asked them with a smile, before looking up at their young charge._

_The girl merely nodded and grinned. "I can't wait to play with them again next time!"_

"_Thanks again, Rin," Sango said gratefully as she began to pick up the toys scattered about the room. "I hope they weren't too much trouble this time."_

"_It was no problem," Rin shrugged it off. She crouched down and faced the twins. "See you soon! Bye-bye!"_

_Kagome sat cross-legged on the floor, and as Sango finished putting away the last of the toys, she joined her._

"_So, what did you do at first? When you were all alone?" Kagome asked. Her friend's gaze was fixed on the two little girls, who had begun slowly removing all the toys that their mother had just put away._

_Sango exhaled in frustration at her daughters, before turning to Kagome. "At first, I wasn't all alone. I went with them."_

"_Really?" Kagome seemed surprised. _

"_Yeah. And if I'm being completely honest with myself, I sort of miss those days…when houshi-sama and I first got married," Sango said in a small voice, her cheeks taking on a rosy hue._

"_We've only been married six days, and he's _already _left me alone," Kagome cast her eyes downward as she spoke of Inuyasha._

_Sango put a hand on Kagome's shoulder. "Honestly, I'm surprised he's let you out of his sight for longer than a minute," she admitted. "I mean, he checked the well every three days when you were gone, and I don't doubt that he paid it more visits than he claims."_

"_About that," Kagome began. "What exactly happened while I was away?"_

"_Well," Sango said bluntly, "Inuyasha was rude, irritable, sulky. Unable to cope with the fact that he might never see you again." _

"_No, I mean what happened with you and Miroku-sama?" Kagome asked innocently._

_A blush rose to Sango's cheeks. "I think you know what happened with us," she answered, flustered._

"_I wasn't thinking in _that_ way, Sango-chan! Clearly he's rubbing off on you." Sango shot her daggers, but Kagome continued, "I want to know everything!"_

"_Everything?" Sango looked puzzled. "Honestly, it's not that interesting. Really, Kagome-chan."_

"_Do you know how hard I worked to push you two together? Can't I at least learn of the fruits of my labour?" _

"_Fine," Sango sighed._

* * *

Gone. It had damn well taken long enough. The gaping void, once the bane of his existence, now ceased to exist. Lifting the silken cloth that covered his palm for the umpteenth time, Miroku rejoiced at the feeling of the bare flesh, a small scar the only remnant of the curse that had plagued his lineage. It felt unreal, and he revelled at the thought of not having his impending death looming over him like a dark storm cloud on an overcast day.

But he was not the only one overcome with joy. When he removed the cloth for the first time, her brown eyes twinkled. Never had he seen Sango so happy. Now she lay sprawled on a mat on the floor of the tiny storage shed where they would spend the night, her eyes shut and her mouth agape.

It had been an eventful day and they were drained, both emotionally and physically. Not only had they faced the risk of losing each other in the depths of Naraku's body, but they had faced the reality of losing two of their comrades into the vast expanse of a meidou.

Miroku was exhausted, but did whatever he could to keep himself awake in the event of Inuyasha's return. He could only hope.

He had finally drifted off to sleep when he was jolted awake by the sound of fabric rustling. Sango sat upright on her bedroll, the blankets strewn across the room.

"H-houshi-sama…I'm sorry I woke you. I—"

"Don't be," he whispered, before she could finish. "I shouldn't have fallen asleep in the first place. Where are you off to at this hour anyway?"

"I was going to take a walk. I have a lot on my mind at the moment," she spoke vaguely as she tied back her long, brown hair into a high ponytail with a red ribbon.

"Maybe I should join you. I mean, it's awfully dark to be walking alone." He waited for her to protest, to insist that she was perfectly capable of defending herself should the occasion arise that she'd need to. But this time she didn't object, and what she did next surprised him.

Without a word, she took his hand. His gaze fell to their entwined fingers, and when he looked up at her again, her cheeks turned their trademark crimson.

"I had something I wanted to talk to you about, anyway," she said in a small voice as they quietly made their way out of the shed, taking care not to wake the sleeping kitsune, her nekomata companion, and her younger brother, who was lying face down on his bedroll, dead to the world on his shoulders.

The night air was crisp, and Sango shivered, Miroku offering her his kesa, to which she politely declined. They walked through the dark village, past the remains of what once were houses and shops, until they made it to the clearing where the Bone Eater's Well once stood.

"So what did you want to talk to me about?" Miroku said to a troubled-looking Sango.

"I wanted you to know…you're free to go…" she trailed off.

"What does that mean?" he asked, taken aback.

"It means that I don't hold you to any promises you've made. You're free to walk away and live your life as you please—"

"Sango! Where is this coming from?"

"I understand that with your impending death you've made some rather rash decisions, but I just want you to know that you don't have to do anything you're going to regret," she whispered, choking back tears. "You don't deserve to be with a horrible person like me, anyway."

"What are you talking about, Sango? You're about as far from a horrible person as humanly possible." He pulled her close, but she jerked away.

"If you knew what I did, I bet you'd change your mind."

_What _did _she do, _Miroku began to wonder. He looked to her for an explanation.

"I was ready to kill an innocent child," Sango began, on the verge of tears. "I thought it would save you. I thought it would all be done. If it weren't for Kohaku stepping in, Rin would be dead."

"You were deceived by an illusion, Sango—"

"Houshi-sama, stop making excuses for me, okay? What I did in there was inexcusable." She looked away, brushing off any attempt he'd made to console her.

"But she didn't die. And if I remember correctly, you risked your own life for her shortly after."

"But…"

"If Sesshomaru of all people can forgive you, then I think you should be able to forgive yourself." He left it at that, and there was an uncomfortable silence between the couple before he broke it again. "And I've done a lot of things in my life that I regret, but falling in love with you isn't one of them."

"H-houshi-sama," Sango spoke quietly. Before she could say anything else, he pulled her into his warm embrace.

"Did you really think you'd get rid of me that easily, dearest Sango?" he teased, his hand slowly sliding to his favourite part of her body. For once, she didn't recoil at his touch, and she didn't pull away when he planted a soft, sensual kiss on her mouth.

She moaned as he trailed gentle kisses down her neck. "Make love to me, houshi-sama," she whispered. Miroku broke away from the embrace in shock. The Sango he knew was prudish and somewhat frigid. He'd never seen this side of her before, falling weak at his touch like one of the many lovesick village girls he'd seduced in the past.

"B-but the wedding night…" he stammered, but she wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her lips to his before he could finish his sentence.

"I don't think I can wait that long," she whispered as her nimble fingers worked quickly to remove his kesa.

* * *

They spent the night in the clearing and watched the sunrise together before returning to the village. Sango had tried to smooth her now dishevelled hair and neaten her appearance, but the red ribbon she normally used to tie her ponytail was long gone, discarded in the throes of passion.

As they tiptoed back into the shed, a voice caught them off guard.

"Where did you two run off to?" Shippo eyed them suspiciously. Sango shifted uncomfortably.

"We went to see if the well had returned, and we stayed to watch the sunrise," Miroku answered almost instantly. That lying came to him like a natural reflex had always made Sango a little uneasy, but when Shippo asked no further questions, she was almost appreciative of this quality.

Kohaku looked up from folding his futon and turned to Shippo. "What do you say we go and find something to eat?" he asked the tiny kitsune, giving Sango a knowing glance. "Do you want us to bring anything back for you two, sis?" he added as he stood in the doorway.

"I think we should be fine." She smiled pleasantly.

"That's what I _thought_ you'd say," Kohaku said as he led Shippo out of the shed, causing Sango's face to redden. _Does he know where we really were last night?_ she worried as Kohaku pulled the door shut behind him.

When he was sure that the two boys were gone, Miroku turned to Sango. "Sango, there's something I wanted to ask you," he began.

"What is it, houshi-sama?" she asked as she absentmindedly stroked the nekomata sprawled out on her lap.

"Let's get married as soon as possible…let's get married today!" He was met with a blank stare.

"Houshi-sama, really? I think we should wait a few days…for Inuyasha and Kagome-chan to return. I'd like for them to be there." Kirara mewed in agreement.

"I would as well, but what if they never do return, Sango? What then? You pledged your love to me last night, but what if I never get to pledge my love to you?"

Sango looked into the eyes of the man who, a little over a day ago, had been ready and willing to lay down his life for her and her brother, and she saw nothing but sincerity.

"I guess we better go and find Kaede-sama," she finally said.

* * *

**A/N: **_**Thank you so much for reading! I've honestly wanted to write a MirSan fic set in the canon universe for quite some time now, and I literally just got around to it. Anyway, just for clarification, the italicized part at the beginning of the chapter is set a few days after Kagome's return to the feudal era, and the rest of the chapter takes place after Inuyasha creates the meidou to go and find her.**_

_**The rest of the story will take place during the three years that Kagome spent in her own time, unless otherwise indicated. The second chapter should be up soon. Thanks again for giving this a read :)**_


	2. Chapter 2

**Content warning:** Contains a _very_ short love scene, but nothing _too_ explicit.

* * *

"You want me to marry you two _today_?" The elderly miko looked up from tending to her herb garden in shock.

"If it's not too much trouble, Kaede-sama," Sango spoke nervously.

"Nonsense, child," Kaede brushed off the idea as she yanked a weed from between the rows of herbs. "But what about your friends? Wouldn't you like for them to be there?"

Sango quickly shot Miroku a dirty look, but he either ignored it or missed it altogether.

"While that would be nice, Kaede-sama, we've more or less come to terms with the idea that they might never return," he said solemnly, looking away. Sango grasped his hand in an attempt to comfort him. Clearly he _hadn't _come to terms with it yet.

Kaede sighed as she brushed her dirty hands onto her red hakama. "Well, you two better gussy yourselves up if a wedding is to be had," she finally said. "And you might want to consider running a comb through your hair, Sango. What were you doing? Rolling around in hay or something?"

* * *

The quick marriage ceremony that the couple had hoped for had turned into a day-long ordeal. The village women fussed over Sango's hair and makeup, outfitting her in a pale pink kimono more formal than the taijiya was used to. Her cheeks were lightly dusted with pink blush, and her lips painted a delicate petal pink, her waist-length brown hair plaited and interspersed with wildflowers.

And while the ceremony itself had not taken long, the newlyweds were ambushed by villagers bearing gifts and good wishes.

"What a lovely bride you make!" A plump middle-aged woman gushed as she pushed back a strand of her greying hair and produced a tiny straw figure from the pack she wore on her shoulders, pressing the object into Sango's palm.

"What's this?" Sango asked as she stared at the object in her hand. The rough-hewn straw made her palm itch and left red marks.

"My own personal fertility talisman," the woman said proudly. "With it, I've borne my man seven sons. And ya know, I _still_ can't keep him off of me! I reckon it's got aphrodisiac properties, too. You wouldn't mind taking it off my hands now, would ya?"

"Oh! Wow! Lovely!" Sango forced a smile, although internally she was cringing. "Thank you so much!"

As Sango's arms were weighed down by more gifts like the one she'd just received, and as the village women chewed her ears off with unwanted, unwarranted advice, Kohaku, Shippo, and the men of the village congratulated Miroku over cups of sake.

"Well done!" Taro, a portly, prematurely balding farmer commended. "If I got to come home to a woman like that every day…she's a haughty one. I can tell!"

"There's nothing attractive about a woman who doesn't know her place," an elderly man countered, swinging his walking stick in annoyance.

"Just what are you insinuating?" Miroku's eyes narrowed as he looked down at the old man.

"I think you know exactly what I mean," the man said, a sanctimonious expression on his face. "Tell me…isn't it emasculating to be with a woman who acts as a man does? She's like no village girl I've ever seen before."

"Maybe that's what I love about her." The two men locked eyes, without breaking contact. "Maybe I was looking for a partner, an equal. Not some vapid, mindless plaything."

"Well, give it a few years' time, and you'll come to regret your way of thinking," the old man huffed, turning his back to hobble away.

"Give it a few seconds' time, and _you'll_ come to regret what _you_ just said," Shippo piped up, balling up his tiny fists as Kohaku restrained him.

"It's not worth getting riled up over, Shippo," the older boy said calmly. "It's true. My sister was raised to be a fighter, not a wife, but if there's one thing I can say about ane-ue it's that she's a fast learner, and when she sets her mind to something, there's no stopping her."

"That I know," Miroku replied. The scowl provoked earlier by the older man quickly vanished, and in its place was a small smile.

"What is it that you know, houshi-sama?" Sango asked as she stepped toward the men, arms laden with the various trinkets bestowed upon her by the village women.

"Sango, what is all this?" he asked, ignoring the question and gesturing to the pile in her arms.

"Apparently it's customary here to weigh down the bride with piles of useless knickknacks? Here, Shippo," she exhaled, tossing the kitsune the straw doll she'd received earlier, before kneeling down to join her new husband.

"It's a shame we have nowhere to put all this stuff. Maybe we should have waited a few days before rushing to the altar," Miroku said wistfully as he poured some sake into a cup and handed it to his bride.

"We'll figure something out," Sango said as she lifted the cup to her lips, taking a small sip before wincing at the bitterness of the liquor. "Besides, now I'm your wife in _name_ as well as _deed_," she whispered, making sure Shippo and Kohaku couldn't hear, but her cheeks turned their tell-tale pink.

"Speaking of deed—" Miroku began, but was quickly cut off.

"I've been looking for you two!" Kaede panted, out of breath. "I have something I'd like to show you. Follow me." She started on her way, and the couple exchanged glances.

"I guess we should follow her," Sango said, brushing any dirt off her wedding kimono as she followed the elderly miko down the dirt road, Miroku following closely behind.

She led them through the village, past houses and shops, and up a small grassy hill where a house stood.

"What are we doing here, Kaede-sama?" Sango asked, bemused.

"Well, you didn't expect to start your married life in a storage shed, did you?" the older woman asked.

_Actually, I kind of did, _Miroku mused.

"Wait…do you mean?" Sango's eyes lit up and Kaede merely nodded. "Thank you so much, Kaede-sama!" she exclaimed, enveloping the miko in a hug. Kaede initially tried to pull away, but eventually gave in.

"My deepest gratitude," Miroku said as he bowed his head in thanks.

"Now I best not hear about another frolic in the clearing," Kaede warned.

_How does _she_ know about that?_ Sango couldn't help but wonder.

"I know everything that goes on in this village," Kaede spoke as if she'd just read Sango's mind. "Anyhow, I'm not going to keep you from the 'consummation' of your marriage, if that's what you two want to call it. Seems to me like that's already been accomplished." She turned away, making her way down the path she'd just led them up.

When the Kaede was finally out of sight, Miroku turned to Sango. "I think Kaede-dono had the right idea," he whispered as he pulled her close. She could feel her cheeks start to redden. "How about we get to work on those twenty kids you promised me?" He kissed her passionately, and much like the night before, Sango found herself unable to resist.

* * *

With expert hands, he untied the obi and his hand slipped underneath the folds of her silken kimono, cupping a firm and full breast. Gazing at her lustfully, he slowly backed her against the wall, parting her legs and kissing her fervently as he thrust inside her.

Moans of pleasure escaped her lips as she felt his hands on her bottom, pulling her even closer to his body. They moved slowly and rhythmically together, and she gripped her legs around his waist even tighter, sinking her calloused fingers into his back.

* * *

Sango's body—normally strong and durable—withered with fatigue in the aftermath of their passionate lovemaking. They had been so caught up in each other that they hadn't left the house in two days, meaning they had neglected to check to see if the well had somehow reappeared.

Sango smoothed her hair and dressed herself in her usual pink and green kosode.

"Where are you going?" Miroku called from the futon. "Come back to bed!" he beckoned.

"I'm going to see if the well's back," Sango answered as she stepped into her sandals.

"Let me come with you!"

"Hurry up, then. I'll be outside, because I could definitely use some fresh air after being holed up in here for two days."

Miroku quickly dressed and the two were on their way.

"I really hope Shippo-chan finally got some rest," Sango said worriedly as they made their way towards where the well (hopefully) stood. "It's not good for him to stake out the well for that long."

"…and they got married, and then some old man tried to talk smack after the wedding, but I showed him!" The kitsune in question's voice echoed across the clearing as Miroku and Sango got closer.

The small child was perched on the well, animatedly chattering away to the hanyou leaning up against it.

"I-Inuyasha?" Sango shouted in disbelief. "I thought we'd never see you again." She began to tear up as she ran to hug her friend.

"Geez, Sango! Quit getting all sentimental on me. Your tears are gonna stain my haori, y'know," the hanyou protested, but hugged her back anyway.

"Where's Kagome-sama?" Miroku inquired as he noticed the absence of his friend's companion.

Inuyasha looked to the ground. "I took her back to her own world. I'm just glad that she's safe," he muttered. "Besides, there are people there who need and love Kagome as well."

* * *

**A/N:** _I'm sorry it took me so long to update, but I'm having a mad case of writer's block with this story and I have no idea what to do! That being said, it might take me some time to make another update, and for that I apologize. I am planning on starting another fic of this pairing (AU), in the meantime, to possibly get rid of this writer's block. Anyway, thank you for reading._


	3. Chapter 3

A few weeks had passed and the newlyweds were beginning to get adjusted to married life. Along with Inuyasha, they roamed the countryside, and exorcising weak youkai in nearby villages had quickly become a lucrative livelihood.

The fat droplets of heavy rain reduced to a gentle drizzle as the trio made their way to a nearby village, Masuko, to perform an exorcism on the castle of a lord. The village didn't _feel _that close to Sango, who had quickly grown fatigued. Her taut, compact body was beginning to feel limp under the weight of hiraikotsu, and she wanted nothing more than to stop and rest for a bit, and maybe relieve herself.

But instead, she toughed it out, making carrying the large boomerang appear as effortless as she usually did.

"Keh…I thought this village was supposed to be _close_, Miroku," Inuyasha groaned, sounding irritable as ever.

"I was told it _was_," Miroku said defensively, but with an air of uncertainty to his voice.

"Well, I say we make a detour and get out of the rain. I'll never hear the end of it if your weak human constitutions catch cold. Besides, I think I see a village that way."

Sango mentally thanked the hanyou, following him as he took the opposite direction of the path.

"Not you too, Sango?" Miroku cried in disbelief as his wife trailed behind Inuyasha.

"Sorry, houshi-sama, but he _does_ have a point. Besides, knowing you, you'll probably find a way to profit off of some unsuspecting household in this village anyway." Her long, brown ponytail swished as she turned back around, heading toward the village.

_Does she really think that low of me?_ Miroku wondered as he followed behind. _Well, it's not like I've given her any reason _not_ to._

After twenty minutes of vigorous walking, they had finally made their way to the village. In spite of the rain, the streets were not empty. Villagers raced past each other in an effort to get out of the bad weather, but vendors lined the streets, hawking everything from hair ornaments to kakigori*.

"Look, houshi-sama! Kakigori! I haven't tasted that since I was a little girl!" Sango's eyes lit up the minute she saw the stall.

"Keh…just looks like snow and syrup to me," said Inuyasha, unimpressed.

"You mean to say that you've never tried it, Inuyasha?" Sango asked, looking at Inuyasha as if not having tried the shaved ice treat was the most unnatural thing in the world.

"To be honest, Sango, neither have I," Miroku admitted. "It isn't exactly cheap…or easy to find for that matter. That being said, I've always wondered what it tastes like. Would you like to…?"

"Share one? I don't know…you said so yourself that it was too pricy."

"As if _he'd_ spring for something other than sake and female companionship," Inuyasha piped up.

"What flavour do you like best, dearest?" Miroku clasped Sango's hand, completely disregarding his friend's comment.

"Melon." He promptly paid the vendor, and handed the cold, syrupy confection to Sango. "Here! Try some, houshi-sama," she said, scooping up some of the ice with the tiny wooden spoon and spooning it into his mouth.

Some of the sticky syrup dribbled down his chin and onto his kesa, but he paid it no mind.

"So, what do you think?" she asked after he'd tried his first spoonful.

"I think," he began, "that it's far too cold and far too sweet. You take the rest."

"Thank you, houshi-sama." She smiled gratefully, putting the spoon to her lips, but wincing at the coldness of the frozen treat. She quickly devoured the kakigori, but began to feel nauseous in the process, running to the narrow alleyway between the kakigori stand and an inn to retch.

"Don't say anything to Sango, but I'm starting to worry about her," Miroku said to Inuyasha in a hushed tone when he was sure that she was out of earshot.

"So, she ate the thing too fast, and made herself sick. What's there to worry about?"

"But she's been sick a lot as of late."

"I'm sure Kaede will have something for her. Don't worry," Inuyasha reassured him.

"I hope you're right," Miroku said, but he didn't sound convinced.

Sango wiped the corners of her mouth on her sleeve as she re-emerged from the alleyway. "Well, that kakigori didn't agree with my stomach," she sighed. "I guess my father was right when he said to slow down when eating sweets."

Inuyasha gave Miroku an I-told-you-so-look, but he either ignored it or wasn't paying attention.

"Well, I'm glad you're feeling better, because I've started to detect the _faintest_ hint of a demonic aura."

"From where?" Sango asked, and Miroku gestured to the stately castle surrounded by four tall walls and nestled on the hillside. "_It figures_ that the wealthiest household in town has a youkai infestation," Sango muttered under her breath.

* * *

"What business have you with my lord?" The guard at the gate demanded.

"We were travelling past your village and a strong demonic aura seems to be emanating from this very castle," Miroku explained.

The guard's eyes widened. "You're here to slay the youkai?" he asked.

_So houshi-sama _wasn't _making this up?_ Sango thought as she glanced over at her husband.

"Good luck with that. Either it'll refuse to show itself or you'll end up like all the others," the guard said sceptically as he led them through the gate.

Sango looked around. There were lush gardens throughout the courtyard, with lilies and blue hydrangeas growing, and an artificial stream snaked its way underneath wooden bridges. A servant girl led them to the main house, where she slid open the shoji to a large, tatami-floored room.

"My lord," the servant girl called as she poked her head in the doorway. "Some more youkai-taijiya have arrived."

"Send them in at once," a deep masculine voice ordered.

The three stepped into the room. A large, broad-shouldered man sat centred at the far end of the room, a young, beautiful maiden clad in an expensive silk homongi—presumably his wife—on his arm. A tray sat in front of them, laden with sweets. The wife plucked a round, white ball of mochi off the tray, hand-feeding it to her husband.

Another young man sat adjacent to the couple, and there was something familiar about him. He looked up at the group and just about choked on his tea as he raised the cup to his lips. "Sango! I knew fate would be kind enough to allow our paths to cross once more!"

* * *

"T-Takeda Kuranosuke-sama," was all Sango could manage. It had been quite some time since her last run-in with the handsome young lord.

"You _know_ the taijiya, Kuranosuke?" the lord of the castle asked his guest.

"Yes, uncle. I am eagerly awaiting the day she accepts my marriage proposal."

"Well, you're out of luck then," Inuyasha said bluntly. "Sango's already married to Miroku."

"Is it true, Sango? Are you married to the monk?" Kuranosuke spoke quietly, looking dejected.

"Yes, my lord," she answered truthfully, feeling a little guilty for letting the poor man down this way. There was a sense of tension in the air.

"And he has failed to provide for you in such a way that you must continue to slay youkai in order to get by? You should be at home, surrounded by beautiful things."

"No, my lord. It is by choice that I'm here." Kuranosuke appeared to be taken aback.

"And it is a good thing you have chosen to come here, my dear," the lord of the castle spoke, bringing the group's attention back to the original reason why they had entered the castle in the first place. "A terrible youkai, which has taken on the form of a beautiful woman, has been terrorizing the people of this court at night."

"A beautiful woman you say?" Miroku's face lit up.

"Don't get any ideas, houshi-sama. Just because we're married now doesn't mean I won't club you with my hiraikotsu if you do something stupid."

"Anyway, this demon only appears at night," the lord continued, "so you are free to do as you please until nightfall. Please enjoy yourselves, and maybe take a stroll through the gardens? Somebody will show you to your rooms." He rose to his feet, heading through the open shoji and onto the engawa.

His wife, however, lingered, settling on the tatami between Miroku and Sango. She smelled fragrant, of rosewater, causing Sango to sneeze, and the collar of her kimono was loose enough to reveal milky white skin and the deep plunge of her cleavage.

"Don't tell me you've forgotten me, Miroku?" she teased, leaning in uncomfortably close.

"Of course not, Kumi," he said amiably, forcing a megawatt grin.

_Kumi? You mean he actually remembers this one's name_? Sango silently fretted. "Please excuse me," she spoke in a small voice, as she rose to her feet. "I wouldn't want to kill the mood of this reunion."

"Sango…wait!" Miroku called after her, but she stormed out of the room, turning down a narrow corridor.

* * *

"Where are you going, Miroku? Don't you want to see if there's anything to eat around here?" Inuyasha was sprawled out on the tatami. The two men were now alone in the main hall.

"Well, if the youkai only shows up at night, I figure I might as well get some sleep," Miroku answered as he headed down the corridor to one of the rooms the young servant girl had guided them to earlier.

"Keh…suit yourself," Inuyasha mumbled as he took off in search of edibles.

As Miroku slid open the screen to the bedroom, Kumi lay sprawled on the futon, dressed in nothing but a thin, white yukata. Her hair had been styled differently since he'd seen her earlier. She had taken out the elaborate hair ornaments and combs, and was now wearing it loose. Her lips were painted a bright red, and her finger and toenails were lacquered the same hue.

"I've been waiting for you," she whispered, batting her big, blue eyes.

"Kumi, what are you doing here?"

"You know, you're all I've thought about since the last time I saw you?" she said flirtatiously, not bothering to answer his question. She stood up and began to remove first his kesa and then his robes with nimble and agile fingers.

"Kumi, that was six years ago! You're married. I'm married."

"Well, you know what they say? You never forget your first. Now let me show you how a real woman loves." She pushed him to the floor, pinning him to the ground with her legs apart and forcing a kiss upon his reluctant lips.

He struggled to break free as he heard the sound of light footsteps making their way down the corridor, but Kumi was surprisingly strong, and he wasn't exactly in the habit of using brute force against the fairer sex.

"Houshi-sama…I'm sorry…for acting so jealous. I should have trusted you more." It was Sango's voice. "I—" As she stood in the doorway, she choked up at the sight she beheld. The lady of the castle had Miroku straddled on the futon, their lips locked.

"I take it back, you womanizer!" Sango shouted, storming away yet again.

"Sango! Wait!" Miroku called as he pushed the woman off of him.

"Do _not_ come after me," Sango spat. "I hate you! And I hate myself for being so naïve."

She ran down the corridor, and out the door, sitting on the engawa, allowing her bare feet to dangle above the ground as she reflected on what had just happened. They had been married only four weeks and her husband had already gone astray.

_Where did I go wrong?_ Sango wondered. She did her best to keep a tidy house, cooked him his favourite foods, and still painstakingly applied her makeup every morning just as she had before they married. In bed she had given him everything he needed, or so she thought. _How long has he been cheating on me?_ A single tear slid down her cheek, and she wiped it away.

"Sango. Is everything alright?" A man's voice came from behind and she turned to face the direction it was coming from.

"Kuranosuke-sama," was all she could muster. "I should be making my way back inside now," she finally said, rising to her feet, but suddenly she felt lightheaded, her knees started to buckle, and then everything went black.

* * *

_***Kakigori: **You probably figured out what it was by context, but it's a shaved ice dessert from Japan, sweetened with syrup and eaten since the Heian period. However, apparently it was ridiculously expensive up until the 19th century. Unlike a snow cone, the ice in it is fluffy as opposed to hard._

_**A/N:**__ Ehmagawd! I just wrote my first (fanfiction) cliffhanger and I cannot be any more excited! Let me know what you guys think of this chapter, because it was a lot of fun to write!_


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